Letters to the Editor

July 26, 2010

Yard sale fundraiser was a big hit

To the editor:

On behalf of USF Inc./Oak Hill House and School, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many citizens of Washington County for supporting our first yard sale fundraiser, which took place on July 16 and 17.

We'd also like to thank The Herald-Mail Company for running our ads with consistent excellence. We raised $389.32 thus far, and we are extremely delighted to have so many turn out to tour our agency, interact with our residents and support our event.

We would also like to thank all those who donated items to support our fundraiser, especially T.G. Florist and the neighborhoods near Long Meadow shopping center. Our children and staff enjoyed the pouring out of support.

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We are working hard to develop fundraising strategies to purchase our property at 12806 Independence Road and welcome ideas from the community.

Our lease is likely to be terminated in October 2010, and we are finding it difficult to obtain loans despite the financial stability of our programs here in Western Maryland. This initial fundraiser is the start of many efforts at insuring our program remains a viable option for at-risk youth.

We couldn't have done it without you, Washington County. If anyone would like to continue helping us with donations, grant writing opportunities or other services to further our goal of purchasing our property, feel free to contact me personally at 12806 Independence Road, Clear Spring, Md., 21722 or 301-582-4980.

Courtney WigginsClear Spring

Minority teachers should be easy to find

To the editor:

The following news may help the Washington County Maryland Public Schools System with its minority recruitment difficulties.

"Not only is (his) school closing this year, but the 2007 Michigan Teacher of the Year and 14-year veteran have been laid off.

"Other cities also face hard decisions

"School districts nationwide have become hard-pressed to meet budgets. Cleveland has ordered 16 schools closed and Kansas City will close 26 of its 61 schools.

"Nationwide, 275,000 education jobs were lost this year. In Detroit, 1,983 teachers have received pink slips."

In those areas where teachers are being laid off based on seniority rather than perceived competence, then there should be a lot of competent minority teachers looking for work. Some of them may be willing to move to Washington County and work for an outstanding school system headed by the national Superintendent of the Year.

Cleveland, Detroit and Kansas City should all have contact information for the teachers they laid off. If they are not willing to share that information with a director of recruitment from the Washington County Board of Education, they should at least be willing to forward to the laid-off teachers contact information for the Washington County Board of Education along with news that the Washington County Board of Education is interested in hiring minority teachers.